PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - FABIO BOZZI
AU  - FELICITA GAMBIRASIO
AU  - ROBERTO LUKSCH
AU  - PAOLA COLLINI
AU  - BRUNO BRANDO
AU  - FRANCA FOSSATI-BELLANI
TI  - Detecting CD56+/NB84+/CD45- Immunophenotype in the Bone Marrow of Patients with Metastatic Neuroblastoma Using Flow Cytometry
DP  - 2006 Sep 01
TA  - Anticancer Research
PG  - 3281--3287
VI  - 26
IP  - 5A
4099  - http://ar.iiarjournals.org/content/26/5A/3281.short
4100  - http://ar.iiarjournals.org/content/26/5A/3281.full
SO  - Anticancer Res2006 Sep 01; 26
AB  - Background: In order to identify neuroblastoma cells infiltrating the bone marrow, a triple-color flow-cytometric assay was developed combining CD56 and CD45 with the intracellular anti-NB84 specific antibody. Materials and Methods: The bilateral aspirates obtained from 27 consecutive children over the age of one year with stage 4 neuroblastoma were evaluated. Results: Neuroblastoma cells were detected in the bone marrow of 17/27 (63%) and 19/27 (70%) cases using cytomorphology and triple-color flow-cytometry, respectively. Using cytometry, the percentage of CD56+/NB84+/CD45-cells infiltrating the bone marrow ranged from 0.02% to 65%. Five out of eight patients without bone marrow involvement according to cytometry are in continuous complete remission, while only 3 out of 19 patients whose bone marrow gave positive results are still alive. Conclusion: By combining CD45 and CD56 with the specific antibody, NB84, directed against neuroblastoma cells, we developed a rapid and reliable cytometric assay that can be associated with conventional cytomorphological bone marrow evaluation to detect infiltrating neuroblastoma cells, especially in cases of dubious positivity. Copyright© 2006 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. John G. Delinassios), All rights reserved